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Neil Liddiard signs Swindon Wildcats contract extension

Swindon Wildcats former GB International defenceman Neil Liddiard has committed to a new deal at the Swindon Ice Arena by signing a new one year contract with the club.

The 37-year old blueliner, who joined the club from Guildford Flames in 2015, recorded 56 appearances last in a Wildcats jersey season, making 16 assists - his highest points total for five years.

“I’m really happy and excited to be staying the Wildcats,” he said after announcing he was remaining at the Link Centre for 2016-17.

“It’s a great, friendly and well run club to play for and has amazing supporters.”

Despite the club missing out on silverware, Liddiard, who has picked up five EPIHL championship, three cup winners and three playoff championship winners’ medals during his illustrious career, is keen to find further success with the Wildcats, the team where his hockey journey began back in 1993.

“I felt so gutted that our season was cut short last year with the effort we all put in,” he continued.

“It felt like we deserved much more, so I'm looking forwards to coming back and doing all I can to help the club achieve our goals of some much deserved silverware.”

Despite the club failing to pick up any awards last season, Liddiard was voted the Coaches Player of the Year at the clubs annual End of Season Presentation Evening and speaking on capturing another key player for a further year, player-coach Aaron Nell said: “I'm delighted that Neil is coming back for the new season.

“He is a coach’s dream and a player that everyone in the roster looks up to.

“On the ice you know exactly what you’re going to get from Neil and he's the type of person that I want in Swindon and the type that we can build our team around."

The signing marks Liddiard’s sixth career season with the Wildcats and he has also iced for Billingham Bombers, Oxford City Stars, Peterborough Pirates, Adelaide Avalanche and the Basingstoke Bison. He joined the Guildford Flames back in 2004-05 where he remained for 12 seasons before linking back up with his home-town club at the beginning of last term.

Liddiard becomes the seventh player to be confirmed for the Wildcats 2016-17 roster, with netminder Stevie Lyle, Utility man Lee Richardson who will celebrate his testimonial year and forwards Aaron Nell, Jan Kostal, Jonas Höög and Michael Stratford already on the books.